خفتگان خاک سے استفسار
Khuftagan-i-Khak se Istifsar
English title: THE INTERROGATION OF THE DEAD
The bright sun is hidden; the night shows its face. The night's hair is spread on shoulders of the earth.
This black dress is preparation for some one's mourning; perhaps the Nature's assemblage for the sun is mourning.
The sky is casting a spell over the talking lip; the night's magician is watching the awakened eye.
The wind current is submerged in the river of silence; however, the tolling bell's sound comes from the distance.
Heart which in love's turmoil is evading the world; has dragged me here far from the maddening crowd.
I am the spectator of the spectacle of disappointments; I am the associate of those sleeping in solitude's corner.
O My restlessness! Wait and let me rest awhile | And let me shed a few tears at this habitation
O those steeped in a swoon, "Where are you? | Tell me something of the land where you live
Is that world also one of prevarication? | Is that world also one of denizens' struggle?
Is Man engulfed by sorrow in that land also? | Is Man's heart suppressed and helpless in that land also?
Does the moth burn itself in candle's love in that land also? | Does the tale of flower and nightingale exist in that garden also?
In this world a single hemistich perturbs the heart | Does there also the warmth of verse soften the heart?
This world's relations and alliances life's woes are | Are similar sharp thorns present in that garden also?
The daily bread and a million calamities this world has | Does the soul freedom from anxieties in that world has?
Are the thunder, the farmer, the harvest there also? | Are the caravan and the robber's fear there also?
Do birds collect bits of straw for nests there also? | Is the search for bricks and clay for house there also?
Are the humans unaware of their reality there also? | Are they after nations' and customs' discrimination there also
Does garden not cry at the nightingale's wail there also? | Like this world is there no sympathy in that world also?
Does the Paradise a garden or a restful mansion constitute? | Or does the Eternal Beauty's Unveiled Face it constitute ?
Does hell a method of burning away sins constitute? | Or it in flames of fire a way of discipline constitute?
Has walking given way to speedy flying in that world? | What is the secret of what is called death by denizens of this world?
Life eases the heart's restlessness in this world | Is human knowledge also restricted in that world?
Does the separated heart get satisfaction by sight there also? Are ‘Lan Tarani’ saying the Toor of that land also?
Does the soul get solace in longing there also? | Is man a victim of desire to learn there also ?
Ah! Is that land also filled with darkness? | Or with Love's light is completely illuminated?
Tell us what the secret under this rotating dome is | Death a pricking sharp thorn in the human breast is
Sources and translator credits
- Original text transcription: Bang-e-Dara — خفتگان خاک سے استفسار — Digital transcription file at commit 39d44fc0c2b8ca25769c4b36e6eac4d90cb42b35; the source dataset does not identify the underlying print edition.Verified against this pinned digital transcription file; not checked against a print edition.Source
- Iqbal Demystified source list: Bang-e-Dara — Pinned digital dataset commit 39d44fc0c2b8ca25769c4b36e6eac4d90cb42b35; the underlying print edition is not identified by the dataset.Community dataset list; not reconciled against a print edition.Source
- Iqbal Academy Pakistan Bang-i-Dara Audio Table of Contents — Official audio contents list; cited only for the displayed Urdu and Romanized title pairsPrimary source used to document this poem’s language or title.Source
- Pinned digital source list 001 (Bang-e-Dara section headings) — Pinned repository commit 39d44fc0c2b8ca25769c4b36e6eac4d90cb42b35; digital transcription, not a selected print edition.Verified against this pinned digital transcription file; not checked against a print edition.Source
- Bang-e-Dara English translation at allama-iqbal.com — Inquiry from the Sleepers of the Grave — Public digital poem page, retrieved 2026-10-05; pinned to allama-iqbal.com commit 82547635bb6b758c45082084b2f152fc453a8056.Translation by Dr M.A.K. Khalil; English Translation by: Dr M.A.K. KhalilSource
- English translations in the Bang-e-Dara digital anthology excerpt — Recovered Urdu poetry anthology PDF excerpt; publication title and year are not established by the preserved source packet (bang-english.pdf, 105 PDF pages).Translation by M.A.K. Khalil; Passages are individually credited in the recovered PDF as “Translated by M.A.K. Khalil”; exact source and credit PDF page locators are stored with each imported passage.Source
- English translations in the Bang-e-Dara digital anthology excerpt — Recovered Urdu poetry anthology PDF excerpt; publication title and year are not established by the preserved source packet (bang-english.pdf, 105 PDF pages).Translation by H.T. Sorley; Passages are individually credited in the recovered PDF as “Translated by H.T. Sorley”; exact source and credit PDF page locators are stored with each imported passage.Source
